Incorporation of fresh leaves of wormwood (Artemisia herba alba) and/or rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) in the diet of rams: Effect on testicular function, sexual behavior, and blood parameters

Samia Khnissi; Giovanni Bomboi; Ikram Khémiri; Imen Ben Salem; Maria Dattena; Salma Sai; Souha Ben Mustapha; Andrea Cabiddu; Narjess Lassoued

doi:10.1002/fsn3.3293

Incorporation of fresh leaves of wormwood (Artemisia herba alba) and/or rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) in the diet of rams: Effect on testicular function, sexual behavior, and blood parameters

Food Sci Nutr. 2023 Mar 28;11(6):3121-3130. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.3293. eCollection 2023 Jun.

Authors

Samia Khnissi¹, Giovanni Bomboi², Ikram Khémiri³, Imen Ben Salem⁴, Maria Dattena⁵, Salma Sai¹, Souha Ben Mustapha¹, Andrea Cabiddu⁵, Narjess Lassoued¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Animal and Forage Production, National Institute of Agronomic Research of Tunisia (INRAT) University of Carthage Tunis Tunisia.
² Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria University of Sassari Sassari Italy.
³ Unit of Physiology of Regulatory Systems and Adaptations (UR17ES10), Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis University of Tunis El Manar Tunis Tunisia.
⁴ Département des Productions Animales, Service de Zootechnie et Economie Agricole Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire Sidi Thabet Tunisie.
⁵ Department of Animal Science Agricultural Research Agency of Sardinia Olmedo Italy.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of wormwood and rosemary supplementation on some reproductive traits of Barbarine rams. The experiment lasted 2 months. Twenty-four adult rams were divided into four groups (n = 6) balanced for the weight (53.3 ± 1.2 kg body weight [BW] ± SD). All rams received 1200 g of straw and 600 g of barley. Control rams (C) without aromatic medicinal plant (AMP), while experimental rams received 20 g of fresh rosemary leaves (R), 20 g of fresh wormwood leaves (A), and 10 g of fresh rosemary leaves plus 10 g of fresh wormwood leaves (RA). The results revealed that the live weight of all rams increased (p < .05) in the RA group compared to the C, A, and R groups. Scrotal circumference increased in the R rams when compared to the controls rams (p < .05). For sperm parameters we showed that the A rams had higher sperm concentrations (p < .05). But, the sperm volume decreased in the R rams (p > .05). However, when the rams received rosemary plus wormwood, their sperm volume increased (p > .05). The sperm mass motility was higher for the A, R and AR rams in comparison to the C rams (p = .05). On the other hand, biochemical analysis of the seminal fluid showed no effect of diets on calcium and total proteins concentration. But the measurement of glucose and seminal insulin showed a decrease (p < .05) in these two biochemical markers in group A rams and a decrease (p < .05) in insulin without modification of the glucose concentration in R rams. Blood glucose and insulin decreased in the animals on AMP diet compared to the other groups (p < .05) while aspartate aminotransferase (AST) increased (p < .05). Rosemary leaves (R and RA groups) increased (p < .05) plasma cortisol compared to the other groups. It can be concluded that the addition of Rosmarinus officinalis and/or Artemisia herba alba in ram diet can have a positive effect on the reproductive function by increasing the concentration and motility of sperm, plasma testosterone, and sexual behavior.

Keywords: Artemisia herba alba; Rosmarinus officinalis; behavior; ram; sexual; sperm.